


All Greek To Me

by denynothing1



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-28
Updated: 2006-08-28
Packaged: 2017-11-27 06:39:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/659009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/denynothing1/pseuds/denynothing1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fireside chat. Teyla and Vala discuss food, football and philosophy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Greek To Me

**Author's Note:**

> Set shortly after the SG-1/SGA crossover episode, "Pegasus." Part of a longer story that will probably never be finished.

With a critical eye for the proper balance of smoke and flame, Teyla fed slivers of kindling into the fire. Vala's moan of happiness as she stretched her hands closer to the tiny flames made Teyla smile. 

"If I knew getting out of the SGC meant dying a tragic death on a wilderness planet, I would have stayed behind." Vala muttered.

"Is it so very comfortable on Earth?" Teyla inquired as she began to feed larger pieces of wood into the fire. "I have heard many stories from those on Atlantis, but sometimes it is better to hear an outside view."

"It's quite comfortable in many ways. Many, many, many ways that I am missing badly at the moment," said Vala, looking aggrieved as she rubbed her hands together. "It has central heating and someone else to do the cooking--" She turned a dubious eye on the creature lying at the verge of the fire, the one Teyla had handily caught, skinned and skewered. "Not to mention the catching and... well. Other things one doesn't necessarily want to know about one's food." 

"That must leave you much free time," Teyla observed with a dry look as she picked up their dinner and began turning it slowly over the flames. "Do you ever get bored?"

"I suppose free time can be overrated," Vala conceded. "Daniel has quite adamant views on idle minds and idle hands. Of course, he can also be adamant about hands that are not idle," she added with a smirk.

"It would be interesting to have the luxury of idleness. For a short time, anyway. Earth seems to have so many luxuries. So much leisure time they invent activities to fill it. For example, they have a great philosopher named Homer, who says--"

"Oh, I have heard Daniel mention him. He was Greek."

"What is Greek?"

"A type of philosopher, obviously." Vala appeared happy to share her newly acquired knowledge with someone who wouldn't immediately correct her. Teyla listened with unfeigned interest as Vala continued, "Earth culture has many sorts of philosophers, you see. Greek, Roman, Chinese, Armchair. Different schools of thought, I believe. Armchair has also produced many generals and quarterbacks."

"Flutie!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Colonel Sheppard showed me a video once, of a quarterback named Flutie. I believe he was from a region called Boston, however, not Armchair. Quarterbacks play a game called football."

A slow grin spread across Vala's face. "Football. Oh, yes. On certain mornings at the SGC, I've seen quite a lot of money changing hands over the outcome of these games. Please, do tell me more."

Teyla surveyed their dinner, which still looked rather raw. She banked the flames and settled the skewer over the coals to finish the roasting. "I did not understand it very well, I'm afraid. It is much like our missions in another format. Brief moments of danger and excitement mixed with long periods of waiting for something to happen. There is also strategy, of a sort. Colonel Sheppard is fond of one particular strategy that involves taking a chance on the least likely outcome and succeeding despite the odds." She bit her lip, not sure how much information Vala might bring back to the SGC, and refrained from elaborating on just how fond Colonel Sheppard was of this particular strategy. In all endeavors. "And…" she paused to gather her thoughts. "Oh. There is also hitting!"

"Ah. No wonder you like it."

"The hitting?" Teyla pursed her lips. "Well, it is done with great enthusiasm, if little finesse. But I confess, to see the players padded like our children are when they first learn to fight inspires fond memories."

"I will never understand the direct approach Earth people seem to favor in all their interactions. I can't seem to make them understand that it is much better to outsmart an opponent than to go at them directly. Vict-- um, people have a tendency to hit back, after all."

Teyla nodded solemnly in order to hide a smile. A sudden, sharp odor coming from the fire drew her attention. With an exasperated sigh, she pulled the skewer from the coals, drew her knife and began to push the roasted meat onto the large, flat leaves she had gathered earlier. She gave the charred pieces a dubious poke. Hunting for food was a skill she'd mastered so easily that it was a never ending frustration that the cooking of it was such a struggle. For one, nostalgic moment she thought of the gorlaca seasoning they had brought from Athos. Spicy and strong, it had rescued more than one meal when the team was off world and it was her turn to cook. The gorlaca had run out over a year ago. Ah well, she thought. Better to eat flavorless meat than be meat for the Wraith.

"I have always enjoyed learning of other cultures," she said as she handed a portion of shredded roast to Vala. "I must talk more with Colonel Sheppard about Homer and learn more of the Greek. All I have learned so far is that Homer is very wise. And that he likes to eat a delicacy called doughnuts."

"I have had doughnuts," Vala mumbled around a mouthful of roast. "I must say, I didn't enjoy them nearly as much as I'm enjoying this. It's remarkable how almost getting killed, then lost, then frozen, all while practically starving to death sharpens one's appetite."

Teyla blinked. "You're welcome," she said with a small smile and began to eat.


End file.
